Cold and the Code
by Pandean
Summary: During the coldest leafbare the clans have ever seen, Coldkit is born. With her own Clan starving and her mother unable to produce milk, she's given up to ThunderClan for a chance at survival. But growing up with a paw in two Clans is never easy and Coldkit must balance her desires for family, her loyalty to her adopted clan, and the code that binds them all.
1. Prologue and Allegiances

The harsh leaf-bare winds rolled over WindClan, snow blowing strongly into the camp. Palestar shook herself, the snow was up to her belly by now. She'd been out on a hunting patrol but there was nothing there to be found. Even Stonepaw, whose sense of smell was far above most could catch no whiff of prey. Her belly rumbled as she took in the pitiful fresh-kill pile. There was one small, frozen mouse.

_How are we going to survive? _She worried, _If this keeps up?_ Nevertheless she put on a brave face and took the remaining mouse from the pile and pushed her way through the snow to the small nursery burrow. It was at times like this Palestar cursed the fact that WindClan cats normally slept under the stars. Sure, there were dens for when the weather was poor and the nursery and elder's den were fortified burrows, but the wind still slammed them just the same. The high grass that normally protected WindClan from the harsh leaf-bare cold had all burned away in a late green-leaf fire, leaving them little protection from the elements. They had no food, nothing to line their dens with, and the winter had only just begun.

She poked her head into the nursery burrow to find one of her warriors, Sootstep, curled around his mate. Bluewisp had recently given birth to three kits, though one had died shortly after.

"I brought some prey." she said softly, hoping not to wake the sleeping queen. She looked absolutely ragged.

Sootstep opened his eyes. "I'll try to make sure she eats it. She's despondent right now. Smallkit succumbed to his cough a little while before you came back. Applefoot is preparing the body."

Palestar swallowed back her grief and deposited the mouse next to the mourning father. Neither him nor Bluewisp deserved this. Both of them were still curled tightly together and she noticed their single surviving kit laying in between them. "If you need anything, let me know." she said, and padded back out into the snow.

From across the snowy clearing Applefoot met her gaze and she bounded over to meet him. The young tom had only recently received his full medicine cat name as their senior medicine cat, Larkfeather, died after being weakened by the green-leaf fires. Though he was young, Applefoot was taking to his role as the sole medicine cat of WindClan rather well. He had a good head for herbs and a close connection to StarClan, but what was better was how he managed to make friends with almost every cat he met. Even Moonstar, the incredibly hostile and snappy leader of ThunderClan was at least on decent terms with the tom. Which was more than she could say for herself.

"How is she?" she asked, ducking into the medicine cat den. It was deep inside the left of the tallrock she jumped on to give Clan meetings and there were many nooks and crannies that stored all types of herbs. There was shelter from the wind here but the rock was still chilly with no proper grass or moss to warm the area. All of that had gone to Bluewisp and her kits. _Kit, now. _Palestar corrected herself. _She has one left._

"I'm not going to lie, things are bad," Applefoot said. "Due to the lack of prey, Bluewisp hasn't been able to produce enough milk. Even with one kit, I don't think she'll be able to feed her. And we don't have any other nursing queens. Unless the weather turns soon, her final kit will die."

With a low tail, he padded over to where he was preparing Smallkit's body for burial. _If we can even dig into the frozen earth_, Palestar thought dismally. "Has StarClan shared with you? Have they given any answers?"

Applefoot shook his head. "The half-moon meeting is tomorrow and I plan to go. I have an idea, but I'm not entirely sure anyone will like it."

Palestar's tail twitched. "What do you mean?"

"Clearfern and Applegaze shared with me last meeting that ThunderClan has a number of nursing queens. They don't have a lot of prey in their territory but they have more than us. More than that, they have shelter and adequate warmth." He sat, wrapping his tail around his paws. "With your permission, I'm going to ask if they will be willing to shelter and feed Bluewisp's kit. At least until she's able to survive the leaf-bare in WindClan."

The fur on Palestar's shoulders raised. "You're asking for a WindClan kit to be raised in ThunderClan? She's not even a half moon old! What if she doesn't remember her mother? How will she be loyal to WindClan if for the first six moons of life she's in ThunderClan? Would ThunderClan even give her up?"

"I don't know the answers to your questions, Palestar," Applefoot said. "But I know that the warrior code states we must protect all kits in any way that we can. This is the only way I can see her surviving. I've already talked to Sootstep, who will talk to Bluewisp. He agrees and I know Bluewisp will do anything and everything to make sure her final kit survives. With your permission, I'll ask Clearfern. I have a feeling that they'll agree. Moonstar is prickly and on his last life and Haredash, the deputy, is Applegaze's twin. Haredash may be rather...blunt. But I don't think he'll let a kit suffer. Neither would Moonstar, for that matter."

Palestar closed her eyes. Was this the fate for her clan? A leaf-bare so terrible they either had to give their clanmates kits away or face them dying? _Oh StarClan,_ she prayed, _Give me strength. Give us all strength. _"Alright. You have my permission." She turned to go, hoping to maybe at least take out one more hunting patrol before the sky darkened. Her heart felt low in her chest. Snowkit and Smallkit had been much bigger than the surviving kit, healthier too. It was why they both had been named before her. In fact...

"Did they name her, yet?" Palestar asked. "Bluewisp's final kit?"

Applefoot nodded. "Her name is Coldkit."

_Oh StarClan. Give her strength._

Allegiances

WindClan:

Leader:

Palestar - Pale gray she-cat with a white belly, light blue eyes, and a ringed tail.

Deputy:

Swiftseed - Silver and white tabby tomcat with blue eyes

Medicine Cat:

Applefoot - Young brown tom with a single ginger paw and amber eyes

Warriors:

Sootstep - Large white tomcat with grey paws and green eyes  
Apprentice - Stonepaw

Tansyflower - beautiful dappled golden she-cat with bright green eyes

Yellowstone - large yellow tomcat  
Apprentice - Grasspaw

Tanglepath - brown she-cat with long, tangled fur and green eyes  
Apprentice - Sandpaw

Shinefur - small, glossy white she-cat with green eyes

Blackfur - Black tom with blue eyes  
Apprentice - Whisperpaw

Stonefall - blue-grey tom with blue eyes

Flaxfoot - long legged golden brown she-cat

Rabbitleap - brown tom

Apprentices:

Stonepaw - Solid grey she-cat with bright yellow eyes

Queens:

Bluewisp - Lilac tortie she-cat with pale blue eyes, small for her age. Mother of Smallkit (deceased), Snowkit (deceased), and Coldkit.

Kits:

Coldkit - Diluted Tortie she-cat with a white chest and green eyes. Very small.

Elders:

Hareleap - bad-tempered brown and white spotted tom with a nubby tail

ThunderClan:

Leader:

Moonstar - A white tom with pale grey dapples and green eyes

Deputy:

Haredash - A dark russet tom with piercing hazel eyes

Medicine Cat:

Clearfern - A shaggy brown furred tom with murky green eyes

Medicine Cat Apprentice:

Applegaze - A twin to Haredash, she is exactly the same and it can be hard to tell the duo apart

Warriors:

Nightstorm - Thin and lithe solid black she-cat with a sleek pelt, long legs, and blue eyes. (Mother of Mistykit, Spiderkit, and Stormkit, left the nursery early to return to warrior duties)

Hailheart- Large gray tom with darker dapples and a white belly. He has a thick, sleek pelt and golden eyes.  
Apprentice - Brightpaw

Silversky - Silver tabby tom with blue eyes

Runningstorm - Long-legged cream colored she-cat with amber eyes  
Apprentice - Mothpaw

Wolfdusk - Grey-blue she-cat with blue eyes and multiple scars over her left eye

Firebird - White she-cat with one blue eye and one red eye

Rainflight - Dark grey-blue she-cat with blue eyes and black-tipped ears

Flickerfoot - orange she-cat with one white paw and green eyes

Icerain - handsome, dark silver tom

Swallowfeather - soft-furred grey she-cat with yellow eyes

Strikeclaw - large scar-covered brown tabby tom

Redfang - ginger tom with large top incisors

Ryelight - golden brown tabby tom with blue eyes

Apprentices:

Mothpaw - Golden she-cat with amber eyes and tufted ears

Brightpaw - Large orange tabby tom with white markings and amber eyes

Queens:

Darksun - Black, thick-furred she-cat with golden eyes, missing half an ear. Mother to Mosskit and foster mother to Coldkit.

Darksong - A pretty pure white she cat with smooth fur and a nick in one ear. She has one blue eye, and one green eye and is deaf in the ear above her blue eye (Mate, Haredash, kits, Songkit, Tigerkit, and Fawnkit)

Kits:

Mosskit - mottled brown she-cat with perpetually messy fur and moss green eyes

Coldkit - diluted tortie she-cat with a white chest and green eyes, small for her age

Mistykit - Fluffy with a thick gray pelt, white belly, and darker dapples. Blue eyes.

Spiderkit - Sleek black kit with golden eyes.

Stormkit - Big gray tom with darker dapples and a white belly. He has golden eyes and a messy pelt.

Songkit - A fluffy Darksong lookalike but with Haredash's hazel eyes

Tigerkit - he largest of the kits and the only tom, he is a russet tom with blueish green eyes

Fawnkit - The smallest of them all, and the weakest. She is a grey and white she cat with bright gold eyes

Elders:

Thistleburr - messy furred brown tomcat, retired early due to a broken back leg that didn't heal properly

Lilacrunner - A VERY elderly grey she cat with fading vision and deaf in both ears

Thundersplash - pale grey tom with darker grey muzzle freckles and worsening vision

RiverClan:

Leader:

Minnowstar - Large, sleek furred, mottled-grey she-cat with blue eyes, a scarred underbelly, and webbed paws

Deputy:

Tornfoot – Tortoiseshell and white she-cat with massive scar running down front left paw  
Apprentice - Honeypaw

Medicine Cat:

Redeye – Dark brown tabby tom with one red eye and one yellow eye

Medicine Cat Apprentice:

Spottedpaw - Sleek-furred, lithe, dusky brown she-cat, green eyes, mottled grey legs and paws

Warriors:

Duskflight - Broad-shouldered, thick-furred, dusky brown tom, amber eyes, shredded ears, broken bend tip-tail  
Apprentice - Wavepaw

Beeleap - Large, broad-shouldered, black tom, amber eyes, missing left ear, deeply scarred on the left side of his face, webbed paws  
Apprentice - Flowerpaw

Littleweed - Small, mottled, pale ginger-tabby tom, blue eyes, webbed paws  
Apprentice - Goldenpaw

Snowclaw – White she-cat with blue eyes and abnormally white claws  
Apprentice - Deerpaw

Duskflow – Dark blue-grey tom with yellow eyes

Treepelt – light brown tabby tom with darker brown stripes

Grassywing – Light grey she-cat with pale green eyes

Apprentices:

Goldenpaw - Large, thick-furred, golden brown-tabby tom, amber eyes, webbed paws

Wavepaw - Grey-black tabby tom with long hair and amber eyes

Honeypaw – golden she-cat with sky blue eyes

Flowerpaw - Sleek-furred, white and grey she-cat, blue eyes, long thin scar running down her flank, webbed paws

Deerpaw - Small, white she-cat, green eyes, pale ginger-tabby stripes, webbed paws

Queens: Dappleleaf - Lithe, orange and brown dappled she-cat, pale green eyes, webbed paws (Mother of Sandkit, Rainkit, and Hailkit)

Kits:

Sandkit - Small, mottled, pale ginger-tabby tom, amber eyes

Rainkit -Pale, mottled grey she-cat, blue eyes, webbed paws

Hailkit - Heavy-built, black tom, dark orange eyes, orange tail, webbed paws

Elders:

Tornfoot - elderly brown she-cat with a foot injured from a fox trap

Shallowpool - black tabby she-cat

ShadowClan:

Leader:

Stormstar – Dark grey tabby tom with narrow yellow eyes

Deputy:

Dappleheart – Tortoiseshell and white she-cat with a dappled coat; amber eyes

Medicine Cat:

Honeyheart - Golden she-cat with amber eyes

Warriors:

Rayfang – Jet black tom with a single wide white stripe on his left side and amber eyes

Mintleaf – White she-cat with light grey spots and light green eyes

Foxtuft – ginger tabby tom with black paws and green eyes  
Apprentice - Emberpaw

Driftsplash – Black tom with large greyish splash on one side  
Apprentice - Lionpaw

Silverfur - dark silver tomcat with blue eyes

Frostfang - dark silver she-cat with blue eyes  
Apprentice - Icepaw

Redtuft - ginger she-cat with a tuft of dark ginger fur on her head, green eyes (Mother of Treekit)

Glarestorm - black tomcat with stunning yellow eyes

Cloudspot - Brown and white tomcat

Apprentices:

Emberpaw - Small tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes

Lionpaw – golden tom with sky blue eyes

Icepaw - white she-cat with green eyes

Queens:

Flowerfoot - Tawny, long legged she-cat (Mother of Pouncekit, Mousekit, and Owlkit)

Nutfang - Dark brown tabby tom (Father of Treekit, looking after him due to Redtuft returning to warrior duties early)

Kits:

Pouncekit - Tawny she-cat with yellow eyes

Mousekit - light brown tom with white splotches and green eyes

Owlkit - brown and white tom

Treekit - Dark brown tabby she-cat with green eyes

Elders:

Quietfur - short-furred brown she-cat

**NOTE: I AM NOT ACCEPTING ANY OCS AT THIS TIME. PLEASE STOP SENDING ME THEM. THANK YOU.**


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter One:

Applegaze trodden through the high snow, every once in a while looking back at her mentor. Clearfern wasn't necessarily old but the long-haired tom had a nasty bout of whitecough near the start of leaf-bare that he was still getting over. He should've stayed in camp and let her go to the Moonpool herself, she was a full medicine cat after all, but the older tom was stubborn as a badger.

She fluffed up her pelt against the chilly wind. Back in the hollow the high rock walls shielded ThunderClan from the harsh gales but out in the forest there were no such walls. The trees helped but as soon as they got to the stream that marked the WindClan—ThunderClan border and lead to the Moonpool, the fierce winds threatened to knock her over.

Clearfern grumbled when she looked behind her again. "I may be old but I'm not going to blow away with a little wind, kit!"

"Really?" Applegaze asked. "I could've mistaken you for a leaf."

"Cheeky kit," Clearfern said, though she heard his chest rumble with a raspy purr.

They stopped by the stream, taking a moment to rest their legs. "Do you think we should wait for the others?" Applegaze asked.

"And freeze to death?" Clearfern said, "Surely not. Don't worry, we're all going to the same place after all."

Applegaze nodded and stood again. The sooner they got to the Moonpool the sooner they could dream and the sooner they could go back to their nice warm dens. She knew Haredash would make sure she had some warm fresh-kill waiting for her. Her twin may've been bad-tempered as a fox but he was still a good cat deep down.

"Hey, wait up!" A voice called from behind them.

"Applefoot!" Clearfern said. "You look like a rabbit!"  
Applefoot was covered from head to toe in white snow. He shook himself, looking slightly undignified. "The snowdrifts in WindClan are large enough that I can barely keep my neck above some of them." He explained.

Worry pierced Applegaze's heart like claws. Was WindClan really that badly off? If the snow was that bad how were they going to catch any prey? She shook herself. That was WindClan's problem, not ThunderClans. _But medicine cats aren't supposed to be divided by Clans. _

There were more greeting mews as Honeyheart, the ShadowClan medicine cat, and Redeye and Spottedpaw, the RiverClan medicine cat and apprentice met them up near the head of the path. Poor Spottedpaw was shivering hard, her thick dusky pelt fluffed up to twice her normal size.

Clearfern pushed forward, leading the group as the oldest medicine cat among them. "Come on," he said. "Before we freeze to death."

"Yes, Clearfern," Applegaze said, bounding forward into the snowdrifts.

From beside her, Applefoot cleared his throat and she turned to him.

"Can we talk after we share with StarClan?" he asked.

Applegaze purred. "Of course! Anything for a fellow Apple-!"

"Thanks, Applegaze." Applefoot said. Worry shone clearly in his eye. _I wonder what he wants to talk about. Could it be his Clan is doing so poorly this leaf-bare he's come to ask the others for help? _ThunderClan had been lucky. In WindClan a fire had ravaged their territory during the height of green-leaf and burned away much of their grass and gorse shelters as well as scare away the prey that relied on the grass for food. In RiverClan all the streams had frozen over leaving them to hunt land prey—something they weren't necessarily overly skilled at. In ShadowClan the same whitecough outbreak that hit Clearfern also hit them and their elderly medicine cat had died leaving young Honeyheart as the full medicine cat.

ThunderClan had indeed been very lucky.

As her paws glided across the smooth stone of the Moonpool, slipping into the pawprints of cats long ago, her worries began to ebb away. StarClan would help them. They must have some idea or advice to give.

"Shall we dream?" Clearfern asked.

"I s-s-s-suppose so," Spottedpaw said, teeth chattering. Applegaze looked at the young she-cat, trying to hide her pity. Both she and her mentor's ribs were showing against their skin. But they wouldn't want her pity. It would do them no good.

So, she crouched down next to the Moonpool, wincing when the cold stone touched her belly fur, and took a drink.

In StarClan it was always warm and Applegaze basked in the light of the sun for a few moments when she opened her eyes. A cat bounded over from off in the distance and Applegaze ran to meet her when she realized who it was.

"Fernshade!" she purred as she and the she-cat greeting each other. Her mother, Fernshade, had died a few seasons ago after eating a tainted mouse. It was so unfair. Her mother had been young and talking about having another litter when she died. It hurt her heart to think of the life cut short.

"Applegaze," Fernshade said warmly. "I've come to tell you something?"

Applegaze's ears perked up. "What is it? Is it a prophecy?"

Fernshade's hazel eyes rested steadily on her kit. "Accept the cold when it comes. Embrace it as your own. For only it will stand in the way of complete destruction."

"What do you mean?" Applegaze asked, but Fernshade was already fading away.

"Embrace the cold, my daughter. Embrace the cold."

Applegaze's eye shot open and she pushed herself to her feet. The other cats were still dreaming so she began to pace the perimeter of the pool, hoping the movement would bring some warmth to her already aching muscles. _Embrace the cold. Embrace the cold. _What did that even mean? Would ThunderClan survive this leaf-bare? What about the other Clans? Is that what Fernshade meant.

"Applegaze." Applefoot was awake and headed over to where the young she-cat paced. "Can we speak now?"

"Sure, Applefoot. What's the matter?"

Applefoot took a deep breath, the tip of his tail twitching with anxiety. "We need ThunderClan's help."

"I'm sorry, Applefoot, but the leaf-bare has been hard for us too. We can't spare any prey. We only have just enough to feed ourselves." Applegaze said, looking down at her paws and trying to ignore the sinking feeling in her belly.

"I'm not asking for prey, Applegaze." Applefoot said. "Our only queen, Bluewisp's, kits all died except for one. Bluewisp is starving, just like everyone else, and she can't produce milk. Her kit is barely a half moon old and she's going to die unless we find a nursing queen to take her in. Please." The brown tomcat pleaded. "I know you have some nursing queens in ThunderClan. Her parents have already agreed to it. If you don't take her then she'll die."

Take…a kit? A WindClan kit? For how long? "What does your leader say about this?"

"Palestar's willing to do anything if it saves Coldkit's life," Applefoot said. "Please, at least ask Moonstar."

Coldkit. _Embrace the cold. _Her mother's words came to her again and she nodded. "I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you, Applegaze."

Applegaze nervously padded outside the leader's den. Clearfern, Haredash, and Moonstar were conversing about the situation. Haredash's bad-tempered mewing could be heard from across the hollow. He had not liked the idea of taking in a WindClan kit at all and was vehemently arguing against it as far as she could tell. Clearfern was calmer and so, to her surprise, was Moonstar.

"We can't have a WindClan kit here!" Haredash argued. "Even if she's only here until leaf-bare is over, she'll have divided loyalties and we'll be wasting resources on a cat that will one day fight against us."

"The warrior code says we have to protect all kits, Haredash." That was Clearfern, ever the voice of reason.

"Haredash has a point," Moonstar said and dread pooled in Applegaze's stomach. He couldn't be okay with leaving a kit to die. Right? "We won't know where her loyalties lie, but neither will WindClan. If the kit is going to be raised in ThunderClan, she will have to become a ThunderClan kit."

"You don't mean—" Haredash started before Clearfern cut him off.

"Are you sure, Moonstar? A ceremony like that hasn't been done in ages."

"I'm sure." Moonstar said. "I know you all think of me as bad tempered as a badger, but I will not let an innocent kit die if I can help it. Applegaze, come in here."

Applegaze gingerly poked her head into the leader's den before fully stepping inside. "You knew I was out there?"

"Your pacing made it incredibly obvious," her brother snarked. Applegaze held back the urge to cuff him over the ear with a sheathed paw. But no, she had to act like a mature medicine cat no matter how much her brother annoyed her.

"You're a good cat, Applegaze, with a good heart. Tell me the truth, do you think WindClan would be able to part with the kit for good?"

"I think so. Applefoot said they're willing to do whatever possible to save her even if it means going to another Clan. Also, I feel like I should let you know something."

"Go on," Moonstar meowed.

"While at the half-moon meeting I dreamed of Fernshade. She told me to embrace the cold as it was the only thing standing in the way of complete destruction. I'm convinced it has to do with the kit."

"Why would that be?" Haredash asked. "The kit's barely a half-moon old. Definitely not important enough for a prophecy."

"Because," Applegaze said. "Her name is Coldkit."

Haredash was not happy. Moonstar and Applegaze had left for WindClan to tell Palestar and whoever else about their decision to take in Coldkit. It was a recipe for disaster, he was sure. Take a WindClan-born kit, raise it as ThunderClan until…what? Until WindClan asked for her back? Moonstar might've said he was going to preform the special ceremony for this situation but even if he did who knew if those rabbit-hearted WindClanners would even care about it?

No, it was not a good idea. It was never a good idea for a cat to have divided loyalty and it was never a good idea for Clans to raise kits that weren't their own.

It wasn't that he was heartless, though he was sure that his twin must have been thinking it by now. No, in reality it _did_ hurt to think of a kit slowly starving to death. No matter what Clan, a kit is always innocent. He didn't _want_ the kit to die.

But he also wanted to put his Clan above all and that meant looking out for their needs first and foremost. ThunderClan already had seven kits to look after, not to mention their elders and warriors. His thoughts went to his mate, Darksong, in the nursery and her younger sister from another litter, Darksun. Both were in there with their first litters. Another litter was in there too but they were nearly apprentice age and their mother, Nightstorm, had already left the nursery to begin her warrior duties again. He couldn't blame her, the thought of being stuck in the nursery for six moons made his fur stand on end.

Sighing, he decided to visit them. There was nothing he could do. Moonstar may have been old and on his last life but he was still the leader. Haredash might've thought he had bees in his brain sometimes but he still trusted his judgment even if he didn't personally agree.

He poked his head in the nursery. Long, long ago a tree had fallen into the hollow. Stories said it killed one cat and crippled another. But now the tree had been transformed into a network of dens with woven branches and ivy and bracken creating roofs and walls to block out the elements. The nursery was located in the center, the most fortified part.

Darksong looked up at him, blinking her sleepy eyes. "Hello, love."

"How are you, Darksong?"

Darksong didn't get the chance to answer before three blurs raced past her and tackled Haredash.

Immediately he was pummeled by tiny kitten paws and sharp little teeth nipping at his fur. "Help!" he mock cried. "ShadowClan must be attacking!"

"Don't worry, I'll save you!" A grey and white she-cat proclaimed, turning on her siblings.

"No! Fawnbelly has betrayed us!" Another kit, this one dark ginger, shouted in fake horror.

"Attack the traitor!" Another kit said, bowling over her sister while her brother kept gnawing on their father's ear.

Suddenly the white and grey she-cat broke into a coughing fit and Darksong quickly pulled her back to her belly with her tail. "Enough rough housing," she said. "You know it's bad for Fawnkit."

The two others hung their heads in shame.

"I'm sorry momma," she white she-cat said. "I forgot."

Darksong gave the kit a lick. "It's okay, Songkit. I know you would never want to hurt your sister. You too, Tigerkit."

Haredash got to his feet again, purring. "They'll all make fabulous warriors when they're older."

"Of course they will," Darksong said, "You're their father."

"Bleh," said a voice from the back of the den. Haredash held back rolling his eyes as Darksun opened one of hers. "Can't you two take this lovey dovey stuff out of the den?" She flicked her tail tip to take the sting out of her words.

"Do my declarations of love disturb you, Darksun?" Darksong asked, amusement barely concealed in her voice.

"Yes! It's like hearing mom and dad say stuff like that together. Like, I'm glad you're happy but I don't want to picture what you do with your mate in your free time." Darksun said, purring.

"Bad timing that we're in the nursery at the same time, then. Guess you're stuck with me and my lovey-dovey-ness."

Haredash left the sisters to their banter. Curled against Darksun's belly was her single kit, Mosskit. Despite being only a half moon old the kit was already showing signs of the tell-tale messy pelt her father, Thistleburr had. The tomcat was Darksun's mate and an elder, though he wasn't close to being old enough to be one. If his leg had healed properly, he'd still be in the warriors den. But it didn't. That was the life of the Clans, sometimes. Cats got hurt. Cats died. It was just how it was.

It was late at night when Moonstar and Applegaze returned, carrying an incredibly small kit. Applegaze was gentle and careful to make sure it wasn't knocked around endlessly against all the shrubbery as they went in through the thicket tunnel into their camp.

He walked over to greet them, unable to look at the pitiful scrap his sister had sat down by his feet. The kit was mewing in distress, probably unable to understand what was going on. A thorn of pity stabbed his heart but he pushed it down. His Clan came first.

"This is Coldkit," Applegaze said and Haredash was finally forced to look at the WindClan kit. She was tiny, even tinier than Fawnkit, and a pale tortoiseshell with striking green eyes and a white dash on her chest. Now he understood why WindClan had been so desperate. Every rib on the kit showed and she could barely stand without slumping over in exhaustion.

Haredash tried to put on his best I'm-not-a-threat case and bent down to Coldkit. "Hello, there, little one."

The kit just stared at him with cloudy eyes.

"She's exhausted and starving," Clearfern came up to them. "Give her to Darksun and see if she'll feed. Once she's warmed up and full I can go over her and see if she needs and type of treatment."

Haredash nodded. "I'll take her." The words left his mouth before he meant them too. Applegaze shot him an accusatory glance. StarClan, what did she think he'd do? The kit was here now, he might not agree but he wasn't going to harm it or anything. He wasn't a monster. Ignoring his sister's pointed look he turned to the nursery with the kit dangling between his jaws.

"Over here," Darksun called from the back of her den. "You can put her next to Mosskit."  
Haredash did so and the little kit immediately began to suckle from her foster mother. "Oh, she's beautiful." The queen said, purring.

"So is Mosskit."

"Of course Mosskit is beautiful. All kits are beautiful. Even you were a nice looking kit. Pity, really."

"Thank—hey, are you saying I'm ugly now?" Haredash asked. "Just wait until I tell Applegaze about this. We're identical you know."

"Applegaze pulls it off. You, on the other paw…"

"Okay Darksun," Darksong said, "You can stop tormenting my mate."

Darksun gave her sister a mischievously look. "But it's _fun_."

Ears hot with awkwardness, Haredash made for the exit. "Clearfern is going to come in a little while to check on everything." The she-cats nodded in understanding.

Haredash left the den and pushed through the bramble thicket. His mind felt like angry bees had nested in it and he hoped that going for a hunt would at least calm his nerves, if not put some fresh-kill on the pile. There was nothing he could do now about it. Moonstar was leader. Applegaze and Clearfern were medicine cats. Coldkit would be staying in ThunderClan whether he approved or not.

**AN: I hope you liked this first chapter and if you submitted an OC, I hope I did them justice. Let me know what you think, please! NOTE: I AM NOT ACCEPTING OCS AT THIS TIME.**


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter Two:

The world was dark and cold. So, so cold. One moment she was pressed against something rough and boney, there was fur too, but the bones jutted out so terribly that she couldn't press herself to the warm fur without discomfort.

Then suddenly the fur was got and the biting wind hit her own fur and she mewled out, unable to help herself. She called for her mother wordlessly as she still didn't know her name. She still didn't know her own name.

Just the endless bitter cold.

And then there was warmth, soft fur, a milky smell that she latched onto and suckled as the warm liquid traveled through her system and began to fill her up. There was more meowing, another kit perhaps, next to her and she felt the press of more fur against her side.

She was in a different place than before, she knew that, at least. Even without having her eyes open. This place was so warm. So, so warm. Her tired, frozen body finally began to relax as sleep called to her. A gentle voice whispered in her ear. It was okay now. She could sleep now. The danger had passed.

There was the rasp of a tongue on her head and then a voice calling. "My dear little Coldkit, live well. Please live well."

Coldkit. Her name was Coldkit.

Applegaze watched as the defeated, half-starved queen left the border. For both her sake and her kit's, she didn't travel to the ThunderClan camp with them, only giving her kit one last wash and a whispered goodbye. But she was also too weak to make it back to WindClan without help and so Applegaze volunteered to help her, pointing out in case the worst happened, she was a trained medicine cat. Clearfern obviously couldn't do it as he was focused on the new kit. Coldkit.

Bluewisp looked haggard. Her once pretty lilac pelt was now patchy and messy. There was no strength left in her to groom herself. Her bones jutted out harshly and it made the medicine cat in Applegaze wince. No cat should have to live like this regardless of Clan. No cat should have to give their kit up to ensure their survival.

But then again, the Clans had never had a leaf-bare as terrible as this before.

She continued with Bluewisp, keeping to the queen's slow, shambling gait. She pressed against her, trying to warm the cat with her thicker, fuller fur. Bluewisp looked at her with defeated, sad eyes.

"We'll take care of her," Applegaze said. "I promise. I promise she'll have a happy life. As happy as she can. Darksun is a wonderful queen and I will also look after her like she's my own kit."

Moons ago, back when Applegaze was still Applepaw, she had had the strongest urge to have kits one day. She wanted to be a queen so badly, to have little lives suckle by her stomach. But she was a medicine cat. It wouldn't ever be possible, no matter how much she wished it could be. Clearfern told her early on that as a medicine cat, the whole clan were her kits and she guessed that was true. But her heart still ached if she thought too hard about what she was missing out on.

Bluewisp was slow to speak, her voice cracking with disuse. "I know—I know it's not done, but please. If she ever wonders…if she ever asks. Please tell her where she came from."

"I will. You have my word."

The tired queen blinked at her thankfully before nodding. "We're almost to the camp now. I can make my own way back."

"If you're sure." Applegaze had her doubts, the snow was up to both of their bellies, but it looked like there was a path made from the snow up ahead. Maybe it took them to the camp. Besides, Applegaze was sure WindClan wouldn't want ThunderClan to see how weak they were, even if it was the ThunderClan medicine cat.

"May StarClan watch over you," she called out.

"And you," Bluewisp said as she trudged through the snow, back to her home.

Moonstar stood in front of the nursery, his tail tip twitching back and forth. Clearfern was examining the new kit to see if she was healthy enough to undergo the adoption ritual. It was a relatively new ritual, something the leaders before his past leader had come up with. There'd always been such a fuss about clan blood and which cats had it and which didn't. But then a great sickness fell over all the Clans. Old ShadowClan cats mentioned it was like the yellowcough their clan had experienced moons ago. Cats started dying off and there was no way to save them. With all the Clans low on members the idea to take in other cats from outside the Clans had becoming popular to some. Others, not so much. They didn't want to pollute their pure Clan blood. So, the ritual was formed. After it, no cat could claim the other did not have pure Clan blood in the eyes of StarClan.

Normally the ritual was for outsiders and it'd been long-since practiced as the Clans grew stronger and larger as they recovered from the initial outbreak, but it was still done in some circumstances. Mostly if a new cat wanted to join a Clan or a half-Clan cat found out about their heritage and wanted to prove their loyalty to their birth Clan.

Moonstar had never preformed the ritual before, but he was taught it back when he was a deputy. It was a leader's job to teach it to their deputy as they grew older and lost their lives. Moonstar knew that he was old. He felt it in his bones and joints, saw it in his lackluster fur. He had only two lives left. Once he was left with only one, it would be time to teach Haredash.

Haredash was impulsive and quick to anger. He could be cruel at times but he also cared about ThunderClan and the cats within it no matter how sharp his tongue was. In that way they were similar; Moonstar had mellowed with age and leadership and he knew Haredash would as well. He knew just how to foster that into his deputy, too.

Clearfern poked a head out of the medicine den, shivering as the cold wind blasted him. Even with the walls of the hollow blocking out most of the wind, some of it still got through. The older medicine cat padded up to his leader.

Moonstar raised his tail in greeting. "Well?" he asked.

"She's got no signs of illness, thank StarClan. She's starved but Darksun will be able to feed her along with Mosskit and that will do a great deal to help her grow strong." Clearfern sighed. "I fear that the starvation from her first half-moon of life may have stunted her growth, though. She might always be small."

Moonstar nodded. "Better to be small and healthy than large and sick. Do you think she's ready to have the ritual preformed?"

Clearfern nodded. "I do. We can hold it tonight, if you're willing."

"I'll tell Darksun and Thistleburr."

Mosskit wasn't entirely sure of the new kit in her and her mother's nest. True, she was small and didn't take up much room but even the little room she took up helped make the nursery even more crowded that it was. Mistykit, Spiderkit, and Stormkit were already big enough to be apprentices, in fact, they'd probably get their ceremony any day now. Songkit, Tigerkit, and Fawnkit weren't much better. They were only two moons older than her but even Fawnkit, the smallest, felt like a giant compared to her.

"Momma," Mosskit poked Darksun with a paw. "Who is that?"

Darksun blinked sleepily at her kit. "Her name is Coldkit. She's going to be your sister."

Well, that wasn't that bad, Mosskit presumed. It would be nice to have a sibling once the others left the nursery. Even if she was small and smelled weirdly like grass.

"She's from WindClan," Spiderkit said, flicking her tail tip back and forth. "Nightstorm says they're all cowards and weak and that's why they gave her to us."

"That's no way to talk about your denmate," Darksun chided. "Wherever she came from, she's with us now. Your mother shouldn't be filling your head with such nonsense."

Spiderkit hissed. "It's not nonsense! My mother's the best, most smartest warrior ever!"

Mosskit sighed as she heard Spiderkit. Honestly. The she-kit was so much like her mother and she wasn't looking forward to having to train with her. Nightstorm had left the nursery as soon as her kits were weaned and though she did visit them, she was hardly as common an occurrence as Darksun and Darksong. Why Spiderkit wanted to defend a mother who practically abandoned her kits, she didn't know.

"Liar!" Tigerkit said, his pelt fluffing. "Haredash is the best, most smartest warrior! He's the deputy!"

And so the two groups of three kits began to argue whose parent was the best warrior. Mosskit had no need to join in. Her own father was in the elder's den. He truly wasn't that old but he had to retire early due to something that Clearfern called bad bones. Still, he was gentle and kind and even if he couldn't fight or hunt anymore she definitely wouldn't trade him for any other cat. Besides, Spiderkit, Stormkit, and Mistykit didn't even _know_ their father.

Outside the nursery Mosskit could spot Moonstar leaping up onto the Highledge. Or, well, she thought it was Moonstar. She'd never actually seen him.

But her suspicions proved correct as he yowled. "All cats of ThunderClan please gather below the Highledge for a Clan meeting."  
Immediately the two litters stopped arguing.

"Did he say _all cats_?" Stormkit asked. "Usually it's only cats who are old enough to catch their own prey!"

Songkit bounced on her toes. "Oh, oh, so do we get to go to the meeting? Do we, Darksong?"

Darksong looked fondly at her kit. "Yes, we'll all go to the meeting and we'll all _behave_."

Mosskit purred. Darksong and Darksun both cared so much about all of them. Even though Stormkit, Mistykit, and Spiderkit could be pains in the tail they still filled in for their mother now that Nightstorm was back in the warrior's den.

From beside her Darksun rose carefully, trying not to disturb the small kit that lay curled next to her belly. She gentled picked up the kit.

"Even she's going?" Mosskit asked.

Darksun nodded, her mouth full with the little kit's scruff.

It was incredibly cold out of the nursery and Mosskit immediately fluffed up her kit-soft pelt to try to drive it away. From what the older kits said, those who'd been born at the end of green-leaf and during leaf-fall, it used to be common for them all to play outside. Games like moss ball and catch-the-mouse but the cold had been so severe that they all had been driven in the dens as soon as leaf-bare hit. Clearfern didn't want the cold to get them sick and now she could see why. It was absolutely freezing. _I hope it's not like this when I finally become an apprentice._ She thought. She didn't envy Spiderkit, Mistykit, or Stormkit. They would become apprentices soon and while Mosskit couldn't wait to be an apprentice she didn't exactly fancy having to be out in this weather. She would much prefer being able to curl close to Darksun's belly.

They all gathered around the Highledge as Moonstar had instructed. Mosskit looked around, eyes wide. She'd never seen so many cats at once! All of them were here! Even the elders! She purred as her father walked across the clearing to them, his gait slow and somewhat unsteady. He touched noses with his mate as best as he could while she had a kit in her jaws and then swept his fluffy tail over Mosskit and pulled her closer to him. She snuggled in his fur, so much like her own.

"ThunderClan." Moonstar called. "As you may have heard, we've recently taken in a kit. However, this kit was not a rogue or loner but has come from WindClan." Mosskit flattened her ears as she heard some of the others hiss their disapproval. Haredash silenced them but his eyes reflected that he wasn't happy about the situation either, just standing up for his leader.

"Quiet, and let your leader speak!" Clearfern yowled and the cats of ThunderClan became silent once more.

"Thank you, Clearfern," Moonstar said. "As I was saying, this kit is originally from WindClan. We've taken her in because she would have died otherwise and the warrior code states that we must always protect the life of kits, no matter the Clan. Furthermore, Clearfern and Applegaze believe it's the will of StarClan that we take this kit in."

"We cannot argue with the will of StarClan," Applegaze interjected.

"How do you even know it's the will of StarClan?" Another warrior Mosskit didn't recognize shouted.

Applegaze narrowed her eyes. "Do you distrust your medicine cats?"  
The tom took a step back. "No, Applegaze. I trust you and Clearfern's wisdom."

Applegaze nodded curtly before stepping forward. "It is our duty as ThunderClan medicine cats to hear and interpret the words of StarClan. Not only that, but keep our rituals alive."

"Coldkit may have been born in WindClan," Moonstar said, "But she is not even half a moon old. She is young enough to as simulate into ThunderClan. Furthermore, today will be the last day her blood is of WindClan. Darksun, Mosskit, and Thistleburr, would you all step forward please?"

Everyone was staring at them, Mosskit observed, stepping forward through the snow to get to the base of the Highledge. What did she have to do with any of this, anyways? What did Moonstar want with her and her family?

"Long ago when the Great Sickness struck the Clans, we accepted new blood by preforming a ritual given to us by StarClan themselves. The Ritual of Kin changes the a cat's status and bloodline in the eyes of StarClan. While we are lucky that we haven't needed to enact it in a long time, tonight we will." Moonstar continued on. "Darksun, Thistleburr, Mosskit, do you accept Coldkit as your blood and kin?"

"We do." Mosskit scrambled to follow her parents' words.

"And are you willing to treat Coldkit as your own kit, your own sibling, in the eyes of the Warrior Code and StarClan?"

"We do." They said again.

"Then come forward and rake your paw across the bloodstone."

Clearfern came forward, a massive white stone in his jaws. Mosskit wasn't sure how he carried it but it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen. It was white and sparkled when the weak sunlight hit it. She watched as her mother came forward and raked her paw across the stone, smearing it with blood, then her father do the same. Now it was her turn. She nervously stepped forward and touched the stone with her paw. It was strangely warm and she took a deep breath and raked her paw down on it, hissing in pain as it cut her.

Moonstar nodded toward them. "Now, Darksun, if you can please rake Coldkit's paw across the storm."

Darksun nodded and took the small kit over to the stone. She mewled in distressed as Darksun took a paw in her mouth as gentle as possible and with great care cut her pad on the stone. The little kit squirmed but quickly lost the energy and became still.

"From this day forth, Coldkit is a true born ThunderClan cat. I expect all of you to treat her as such." Moonstar said. "You are dismissed."  
Mosskit padded after her mother back to the nursery and watched Coldkit begin to suckle as soon as she was placed near her mother's belly. A surge of protectiveness came over Mosskit at the sight. _You're my sister, now. _She thought. _I will always protect you._


End file.
